Personal Mention

Tom Bohman, professor and head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, has been named the Alexander M. Knaster (E'80) Professor in recognition of his leadership of the department. "Tom has many qualities that make him an excellent teacher and scholar. His ability to work with others to achieve their highest potential will serve him well as he takes on the leadership of the Department of Mathematical Sciences," said Fred Gilman, dean of the Mellon College of Science (MCS). Read the full story.

Professors Jay Apt and Robert Davis have been selected as science ambassadors for a pilot Science & Engineering Ambassdor Program in Pittsburgh. The program’s goal is to close the gap between the general public’s lack of scientific knowledge and scientists who are unable or unwilling to explain their research to the public. Created by the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, the program initially aims to raise scientific awareness about energy issues before addressing other complex scientific topics, including technology and medicine. In time, the academies hope to establish science-ambassador programs in cities nationwide. Apt is a professor in the Engineering and Public Policy Department and Tepper School of Business, and also executive director of CMU’s Electricity Industry Center. Davis is the John and Claire Bertucci Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Also chosen to be an ambassador was Christina Gabriel, president of the region’s University Energy Partnership.

The Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee honored Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon and University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg with the 2012 Community Impact Award for their contributions to the city and its economy. The event was held at the Fairmont Pittsburgh last Thursday.

To gauge the current state and work to improve the future of science communication, Baruch Fischhoff, the Howard Heinz University Professor of Social and Decision Sciences and Engineering and Public Policy, co-chaired a Sackler Colloquium on “The Science of Science Communication,” May 21-22 at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington, D.C. More than 450 experts attended the sessions to discuss empirical social, behavioral and decision science research in science communication. Additional speakers included CMU’s David Klahr, the Walter van Dyke Bingham Professor of Cognitive Development and Education Sciences; Wandi Bruine de Bruin, associate professor of social and decision sciences and of engineering and public policy at CMU; Princeton’s Daniel Kahneman, who received an honorary degree at CMU's 2012 commencement; The New York Times’ David Pogue; and PBS Newshour’s Miles O’Brien. For more information and videos of the presentations, go to http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2012/june/june5_communicatingscience.html

“Assessing Typographic Knowledge Using Time Tests,” a paper by Associate English Professor Suguru Ishizaki, was selected to receive the Rudolf Joenk Award for Best Paper in Transactions in 2011 by the Editorial Advisory Board of Transactions on Professional Communication.

Jim Daniels, the Thomas Stockham Baker Professor of English, was recently awarded three book awards for two books published in 2011. His poetry collection, “Having a Little Talk with Capital P Poetry,” won the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2012 Gold Medal for Poetry and the 2012 Paterson Award for Literary Excellence from the Paterson Poetry Center. “Trigger Man: More Tales of the Motor City,” Daniels’ latest book of short stories, was the winner of the Midwest Book Awards in the Fiction: Short Story/Anthology category. Read the full story.

Norman Sadeh, professor in the School of Computer Science, will discuss the Livehoods project as part of a panel on “senseable” cities June 11 at the Personal Democracy Forum in New York City. Livehoods uses checkin data from the Foursquare social media site to create a dynamic view of a city’s workings and character. Read more about Livehoods. And read more about the Personal Democracy Forum.

Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart (A’1983) conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra in the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, this past Monday at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. World-renowned soprano RenéeFleming, who received an honorary doctorate at Carnegie Mellon’s commencement and was the keynote speaker at the School of Music’s diploma ceremony, was among the concert performers.

Adam Schlossman, the son of CMU’s Stephanie Wallach and Steve Schlossman, will be making a trip to the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” where his band, Delta Rae, will appear on Monday, June 25. Delta Rae will be performing at the Thunderbird Café in Lawrenceville, 4023 Butler Street, at 9 p.m., Thursday, June 14. Tim Ruff (A’2010) of Alumni Relations will be opening for Delta Rae at the Thunderbird Café. For more on Delta Rae, go to http://www.deltarae.com. Wallach is assistant vice provost for undergraduate education and director of the Undergraduate Research Office and Scholarships and Fellowships Office. Steve Schlossman is a professor of history.